Reset Switch
by Veni-vidi-edi
Summary: Things have gone from bad to worse. In order to stop the worst outcome Naurto will utilize the final option and go back to start again. Rated M as a precaution for hard subject matter later.
1. Chapter 1: The Prologue

I don't own Naruto, and please read and review. I will not be going over the top with Japanese naming structure. I don't know Japanese that well and I'm not gonna pretend. Thank you for your time. Enjoy :)

Chapter 1- Prologue

It was never supposed to be like this. This abhorrent life in a once beautiful world that has slipped into desperate despair. A once beautiful world full of trees and luscious greens replaced by a vast wasteland of brown and decay. The wind blew dry, hot, and acrid. One could pray for the sky to weep, but even rain had gone wrong with its black opacity and harbinging of sickness. Even the tears from the heavens were deadly.

"We're going to have to resort to the final option." Sakura rasped. The dour mood darkened. The silence between the two only giving way to the sounds of sickness in the distance as they both got their breath back. The tall blonde figure turned to the slug sage. Their chakra overflowed and was coating their bodies keeping them warm. Keeping them alive. His eyes squinted as he peered at her with a calculating and measured look. He thought to himself that she looked halfway between pale and death.

"I told you that we won't resort to that." The grizzled figure responded. Naruto ran his hands through his hair matted with grime. He didn't care if he was dirty anymore. No matter how hard he washed he'd never truly feel clean again.

"We both know that it could work. If we wait too much longer, if we don't have enough people left..." Sakura trailed She felt so horrible convincing her best friend to do the unthinkable. Even if they won they would loose. It would be like tarnishing the sun.

"I don't want to pay that cost. They've done enough, taken enough. I won't add to their tally." Naruto exclaimed.

"But if it goes right, it won't... it won't have mattered." Sakura whispered.

"It will have mattered to me."

Naruto's reply smacked of weariness. The silence reverberating throughout the entire strewn battlefield. The stillness of the bodies unnatural and as unnerving as the cacophony of battle had been. So many lay strewn across the muddy and bloody earth. So many that could have done so much good. This sight that would make many anguish simply made the blonde's eyes turn cold.

"You'd have to force me to use that abomination."

Just then an explosion rippled across the horizon awe inspiring in its scope, horrifying in its purpose.

"I won't force you to use it Naruto, but I think he is. Fate shouldn't trump justice." She implored.

Their eyes meet. He sees where her hair has begun to fall out and sighs. The situation had been deteriorating for so long. Naruto used to be called a hero and inspired hope. Now he was simply known as the last kage, and the years had worn away at his very core. With tired eyes he spoke.

"I will not slaughter those innocent people that I love with all my soul for merely a chance."

"Actually Hokage, we're willing." A weak and scarred man said.

Naruto looked out over and behind the man at a crowd of civilians that had gathered the foot of what remained. Naruto had thought them simple individuals concerned for their future, but he realized that they were so much more than that. Many of them have the sickness, and all looking malnourished. But the thing that surprised him was the look of determination set on all their faces.

"We've all lost someone, if you can stop this then we'll do whatever it takes." 

"It would mean your lives." The response from Naruto fell upon the crowd. No one flinched at the fact. 

"We know." Was the man's short reply filled with pride and hope. 

The Hokage turned eyes downtrodden in contemplation. The unnaturally warm breeze blew through what was left of the trees as the Hokage closed his eyes and sighed.

"Fine, we will do what must be done. I am sorry for your sacrifice."


	2. Chapter 2: A Second Start

I don't own Naruto or any intellectual property of note. As a disclaimer, all 'thoughts' from this point on will be Naruto's. Please read and review. Thank you :)

Chapter Two: A Second Start

Naruto hit the ground with a muffled thud. Tears mixing with dirt as he lay motionless on the ground. The air stilled around his sullen form. Silence reverberated throughout the forest only to be suddenly interrupted by the shinobi's waking as he gasped in a deep breath. "I'm so..." Naruto started to say with a choked and laborious exhalation. Then peering through the blurriness as his vision came back into focus he saw. He saw the trees and moist earth, leaves gracefully falling in a spiral towards the forest floor, a caterpillar inching along undisturbed by the sudden disruption that was his arrival. He took in all the glorious sights that for so long had only graced his dreams. He blinked away the tears and glanced at the rays of sunlight flowing through the branches. It would have been a normal sight to anyone who looked, but to Naruto this simple setting was the most beautiful thing he could recollect seeing. He had done it. He was back, and now it was time. Time for the hard part.

Naruto eventually sat up lightheaded and nursing a headache. With his moment of wonder over he shifted to analyzing his surroundings. He didn't know where or exactly when he was and he could process how he felt about everything later. As he began walking forward willing his weary legs to move he began to assess what he had to do. He had to find somewhere to lie low, find out information about what was happening, and he could create a game plan from there. With a grimace he realized his scroll pouch with all his supplies didn't come through with him. He expanded his sensing outwards looking for chakra. He'd have to be careful if he wanted to succeed. As a tear rolled down his face he wiped it off on his jacket sleeve. He then took the tattered remains of his cloak and tore it into a think strip. He wrapped them around his face and over his hair. He focused on the task at hand thinking 'The only way I have is forward.'

* * *

After more than an hour of walking Naruto came upon a road and began paralleling it out of sight taking care to mask his presence even further. Not long thereafter he heard voices and perched on a tree listening to their conversation. Most of it was complaining and some really bad relationship advice from the two men resting on a rock by the side of the road. From the look of the packs and the way they acted Naruto summarized they could only be small time merchants that travel between the local towns looking to set up contracts with merchants in other towns. Eventually they said something of note.

"Look, playing hide the sausage with an actual sausage sounds fun and all, but we have to start planning ahead. After this smaller town we should head back home. Kohona probably doesn't have anyone that will want to buy the clothes. Their probably more in need of you know rebuilding after it got decimated." The man that appeared to be the older of the two said.

Naruto's gut shrank and he was filled with a sudden fear. 'Even during the second war the village was never attacked. How could something have changed already.' He focused even more on the conversation praying he had misheard.

"Nah after the demon attack they'll be needing more of everything. A shake up is actually probably gonna be decent for business, even if it seems like taking advantage."

Naruto calmed down. 'So it's right after the kyubi attack, I guess that means I'm born, my parents are dead and the Sandaime is back in charge. I wonder what jiji would think of this situation.' As Naruto mulled over the implications, he sensed a chakra signal approaching. It was chunin at most with a group of non ninjas. Suddenly he was very glad he chose to mask his presence so well. As it approached he decided he would sit back and see how things played out, and if the ninja would even notice him. As the group of men came upon the merchants the apparent ninja stopped.

"Well look at this, two fine gentlemen out for a stroll." The chunin looked around and motioned to his men. As they spread out he spoke again, " Don't you know its dangerous to be traveling alone with all that stuff. I think we can make your load a little lighter."

'Ah, bandits led by a ninja, probably an academy drop out by how unrefined his passive chakra control is for his age and old gear. I hope I don't have to intervene.'

"Fuck off you knuckle dragger, I ain't giving you shit." The younger of the two merchants replied.

The air grew even more tense as the bandit leader narrowed his eyes. The older merchant looked petrified at his friends actions. Smiles spread across the faces of the leader and several of his men. The bandit leader drew a set of long knives from the low of his back and retorted.

"Brave words, is that how you normally talk to shinobi? I guess your stuff will be easier to take when you're dead."

As the ninja leaped forward to stab the merchants, the would be victims eyes went wide as he took a faltering step back. Naruto leapt into action punching the ninja in the side of the head sending him sprawling through a small tree.

"Your leader is out cold, I'd run if I were you. I really don't want to kill you." Naruto stated as his eyes flared into red splits.

'I hope they just scatter, I am severely low on chakra. Even so I can deal with a couple civilians.'

As the bandits fled Naruto then turned to the merchants, "Are you OK?"

"We are now," the old merchant replied. A look of relief washed over his features and his friend still looked in shock, "I'm in your debt."

"It was noth..." Naruto started before feeling a sharp pain in his left shoulder blade. He spun around to see the ninja had punched earlier with an extended arm having just thrown one of his knives. The ninjas jaw looked broken, but was obviously not knocked out like he had thought. Naruto surged forward and faster than anyone could track kicked the man in the solar plexus knocking him against a tree trunk. The man's body went limp and his eyes rolled back in his head as he slumped to the ground.

"You're lucky I won't kill you." Naruto muttered as he pulled the knife out of his shoulder. He looked at the nice knife and thought 'This is actually pretty nice I guess I'll keep it. Wait a second I'm feeling a little woozy, there is no way I lost that much blood. Shit. Poison. I got to...'

Naruto turned to the merchants as he began to loose consciousness. As the ground rushed up to meet him he felt hands catch him. Then he knew only darkness.

* * *

"What if he dies? I have never seen anyone go down from poison so quick and live. Even if he is stable."

"When did you ever see anyone get poisoned?

" I told you I used to be an adventurer before I took an arrow to the knee."

"What are you talking about? You never got shot with an arrow, your knee is just fine."

"Dumb-ass, Taking an arrow to the knee is an expression for getting married. Hold on a sec, I think he's waking up."

Naruto stirred thinking, 'You try getting poisoned with severe chakra depletion. I'll have to thank Kurama later for the save.' He opened his eyes to see the underside of the tree canopy and the two faces of the merchants looking down at him. 'My this is gonna be a pain.'

"Whoa there, you were poisoned Shinobi-san. It might be best if you don't move." The older of the two merchants stated. Naruto analyzed him again and saw concern in his features. He realized his makeshift wrap had been removed .

'I need to get to Kohona and I don't need them describing my appearance to people in the village. The bandits will spread the story about an unknown ninja and it cant really be traced back to me but these guys saw my face. How am I gonna take care of this?'

Naruto sat up and immediately grabbed his head as if that would stop the headache and wooziness. The older merchant rushed to steady Naruto. The older man then stated, "You can call me Guilden and my friend is Rosen. We owe you a great deal. Thank you for saving us."

Naruto looked between Rosen and Guilden. 'What weird names and combined with their looks they must be foreigners. Time to come up with some BS. I guess it wouldn't hurt to mix in a little bit of the truth.'

"It's fine, my names Shinji. I'm a Kohona ninja coming back to start an assignment." Naruto stated.

"Well Shinji-san, we owe you. How can we repay you? We don't have much cash on us at the moment." Guilden replied.

Naruto looked Guilden in the eyes and considered his response. Although he had no money from the time period a favor could be infinitely more valuable at the moment. Nothing was more suspicious than a twenty two year old with chakra reserves that couldn't be suppressed enough to stand up to more than a casual screening. 'Maybe they could help with my cover.'

"Well actually, my assignment is to investigate a group of ninja acting independent of the Hokage. You mind if I travel with you guys? It will be easier than if I travel alone."

The two merchants looked between each other as if to silently discuss it. Guilden shrugged and Rosen smiled. "I think that would be just fine."

As they walked towards the village they chatted about matters of non importance. The first conversations in recent memory that didn't involve the impending doom of his village or downfall of all he held dear. With a soft breeze rippling through the trees Naruto smiled for the first time in ages, or technically the first time ever. Time for a second start.

* * *

I know Guilden and Rosen aren't very Japanese, but I needed two non ninja merchants and was thinking of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for some reason.


End file.
